Combination timer and distributor mechanism for ignition systems



1933- R. NEWSCHAFFER El AL 1,931,506

COMBINATION TIMER AND DISTRIBUTOR MECHANISM FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS Filed June 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR-S EUDOLF /1/W$C//AFFEE GAY DEMOE/ Z ATTORNEYS 1933' R. NEWSCHAFFER ET AL 1,931,506

COMBINATION TIMER AND DISTRIBUTOR MECHANISM FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS Filed June 25. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATI'ORN EYS firing of the charges of combustion.

Patented Oct. 24, 1933 PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION TIMER AND DISTRIBUTOR lJ-ECHANISM FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS Rudolph Newschaffer and Gay Demori, Jackson Heights, N. Y.

Application June 25, 1932. SerialNo. 620,432

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in combination distributor and timer devices and more particularly for such devices as are used in the ignition systems of internal combustion engines.

One of, the features of the invention is to provide a device of the above kind which will increase the high tension current of the induction coilto intensify the spark plugs of an internal combustion engine, thus obtaining more eflicient Another feature of the invention is to compactly associate a timing mechanism with the distributor mechanism for use in the operation with internal combustion engines of the high multiple cylinder type.

, Another feature of the invention is the provision of a timing device in which the contact points may be easily reached for adjustment and the other corelated parts are readily accessible for repair and repiacement.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the certain. novel construction, combination'and arrangement of parts, the

essential-features of which are hereinafter fully' described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claim, and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevational View of our timing device showing the driving shaft in cross section.

- acters, 1O designates our improved combination timing device and distributor in its entirety which includes a housing 11 having an open top which is closed by a removable cap 12. Bolts 13 serve to secure the cap upon the housing and 'facilitate the removal of the cap for access to the working parts to be hereinafter explained. Rotatably mounted in the bearing 14 is a shaft 15, the upper end of which extends into the housing 11, while the lower end carries a, gear 16 for meshing engagement with a worm l7 fixed to the drive shaft 18 which may be the cam shaft of an internal combustion engine.

Supported by the bearing 14 is the usual electrical condenser 19 and which is connected to a metallic ring 20 which forms part of the housing 11. A wire leading from the condenser 19 to the terminal 21 on the ring 20, while a wire 22 leads from the terminal to a connection with the primary winding of the usual coil 23. Al though we have shown certain parts in diagrammatic, it is not believed necessary to go into a description of the same as thewiring of the timer, coil, distributor and spark plugs of an internal combustion engine are well known in the art. I

The metallic ring 20 rests upon a'flange or base 24 of insulating material which forms the bottom of the housing and which flange is fixedly secured to the annular flange 25 formed integral with the shaft 15. The cap 12 hereinbefore referred to is also of insulating material and seats upon the top of the annular ring 20.

Fixedly connected to the metallic ring 20 and oppositely disposed within the housing 11 are angular brackets 25, one of the arms of the bracket being welded or otherwise secured to the ring 20 while the opposite arms extend inwardly toward theaxis of theshaft 15 but which terminates short of the shaft as best seen in Figure 2 of the drawings. The inwardly extending portions of the brackets26 support vertically alined contact points 27, and in the present instance three of such points are supported by each bracket as the timing mechanism herein shown is adapted to be used in connection with a six cylinder internal combustion engine. Each contact point 27 is on a different horizontal plane, that is they are disposed one above the other and comprise screw threaded pins each having a nut surface 28 inwardly of the contact end of the same, while the remainder of the pin is screw threaded and passes through the inwardly extending armof the bracket 28. Jamb nuts 29 are threaded on the contact pins or points 27 to secure the same in adjusted position. In order to adjust a point, it is only necessary to loosen the jamb nuts 2'7 and turn the point or pin by grasping the nut surface 23 and after the desired adjustment has been affected, the jamb nuts 29 are again tightened against opposite sides of the bracket 26.

Rising from the bottom 24 of the housing and diametrically disposed, are pivot pins 30, to which one end of contact members 31 are connected, there being one contact member or arm for each of the points 27, and the same are arranged in opposed groups for engagement with the points carried by the respective brackets 26. In the present instance, there is shown three contact members 31 to each group and the same are arranged one over the other on the same plane as the contact pins 27. Each of the pivoted contact members 31 includes a metallic shell provided with a contact terminal 32 at the free end thereof for contacting engagement with one of the points 27 while formed from the shell and extending inwardly toward the shaft are rounded bearing cars 33, the same being disposed intermediate the ends of the member 31. The inside of the shell is reinforced by a block of insulating material 34 as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. One end of flat resilient springs 35 are connected to the pivoted ends of the members 31 while the opposite ends of the said springs freely abut posts 36 rising from the bottom wall 24. These springs have a tendency to normally force the arms 31 toward the shaft 15 with the bearing cars 33 in contacting engagement therewith.

The upper end of the shaft 15 is provided with cams 37 disposed on the same horizontal plane as the pivoted contact members 31 and in the present instance three of such cams have been shown, each of which operate two of the contact arms 31 on each revolution of the shaft 15. Each cam 37 includes a flat face 38 while the remainder of the surface of the cam is annular and concentric with respect to the axis of the shaft 15. The flat faces 38 of the cam are of course so positioned to successively operate the contact members 31 in accordance with the proper timing of the working parts of the internal combustion engine with which it is adapted to be associated.

From the description thus far, it will be seen that the angular portions of the cams 37 tend to maintain the contact elements 32 of the members 31 in spaced relation with respect to the points 27, but as the flat surfaces 38 of the respective cams engage the bearing ears 33, the springs 35 move the contact arms inwardly to cause the contact terminals 32 to engage the points 2'? and establish contact to complete a circuit thrmmlathe primary winding of the coil 23. By arranging the contact arms 31 in groups and the arms of each group in position one upon the other, a compact construction is provided and any increased multiple of points and contactors may be embodied without materially increasing the size of the device. Timing devices 0! this character will be found extremely efficient for use in connection with internal combustion engines of the eight, twelve and sixteen cylinder automobile.

An oil duct 56 extends inwardly from the top end of thecam shaft and branches 5'? lead from the duct 56 to the peripheries of the cam.

A distributor mechanism is shown and comprises an arm 58 fixedly carried by the upper end of the cam shaft while mounted on the top of the arm is a flat resilient spring 59 to which a second resilient spring 60 is connected as at 61. The arm 59 is longer than the arm 60 and bearing upon the arm 60 is a pin 62 forced downwardly by a spring 63, one end of the spring abutting the pin 62 and the opposite end abutting the end wall of a socket provided in a wire socket connector 64. The wires leading from the secondary winding of the coil 23 are received in the socket 64, while radially arranged about the axis of the cap and supported therein are socket or cup shaped connectors 65, the lower ends of which are disposed flush with the underside of the top wall of the cap 12. There is one of these socket connectors 65 for each cylinder of the engine and the wires lead from these connectors to the respective spark plugs of the engine.

Fixed to the outer free end of the spring arm 59 and disposed transversely thereof is a contact finger 66, the same being adapted to wipe across the contact surfaces of the receptacle con nectors 65 in order to complete the circuit from the secondary windings of the coil to the respective spark plugs of the engine. By constructing the contact finger 66 in the manner shown in Figure 3, that is, making the same elongated, a longer contact is established between the same and the respective contacts of the receptacle connectors 25 in order to assure a positive closing of the circuit to the respective spark plug, after the primary circuit of the coil has been intermittently energized by the timing mechanism hereinbefore described.

While we have shown and described what we deem to be the most desirable embodiment of our invention, we wish it to be understood that various changes as come within the scope of the appended claim may be resorted to if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

In a timing device for internal combustion engines, a metallic ring having a terminal connector, a driven rotatable shaft mounted axially with respect to said ring, flat cam surfaces provided on said shaft and arranged on different horizontal planes, one over the other, groups of fixed contact members supported by said ring and electrically connected therewith, pivoted contact arms for engagement with the respective contact members and disposed on the plane of the respective cam surfaces, springs for urging said arms toward said shaft for engagement with said contact members, whereby the flat cam surfaces allow said arms to engage the respective contact members upon rotation of said shaft and be held out of contact therewith when said contact members are in contact with the other portion of said shaft.

RUDOLPH NEWSCHAFFER. GAY DEMORI. 

